The Pros And Cons Of Immigrants To The United States

If you were born in a poor country and you could barely survive, what would you do? If you heard that there are opportunities for a better life in more advanced countries, would you try your luck there in an attempt to provide a better life for your family? Although the reasons that brought all the immigrants to the Unites States may vary, a typical case is that in which an individual is born in a family with limited resources and he comes to the U.S. with hopes of having a better life. Those who have empathy would want to help those going through a difficult situation by letting them into our country. However, simply acting based on emotions is not sufficient; reasoning and logic are crucial when governing a nation. After an examination of
evidences through an economic perspective, it’s clear that immigration benefits the United States. Therefore, Americans should embrace immigration. Tens of thousands of years ago, the original inhabitants of America crossed the bridge connecting Asia and North America (History.com Staff). By the 1500s, the Spanish and French established colonies that later would become the Unites States. Prior to 1880, most immigrants living in the United States were originally from northern or western Europe. Between 1880 and 1924, approximately 25 million immigrants arrived from countries in the southern or eastern Europe including Italy, Russia, Hungary, Greece, and Poland. Some of them were seeking greater economic opportunities while others were escaping persecution. In addition, a significant number of Asians immigrated in the United States during the mid-1800s lured by the gold rush. Nowadays, the majority of the country’s immigrants are from Asia and Latin America (History.com Staff). It's clear that the United States has always been a country of immigrants. There are currently around 43.3 million foreign-born individuals living in the United States (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). Of those, 20.7 million are naturalized citizens and 22.6 are noncitizens. Of the noncitizens, 13.1 are lawful permanent residents, 11.1 are undocumented immigrants, and 1.7 million have temporary visas (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). Numerous studies indicate that immigrants economically benefit the U.S.
economy. For instance, immigrants contributed an estimated two trillion to the U.S. GDP in 2016 (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). Immigrants also boost productivity through innovation and entrepreneurship. In 2010, over forty percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants and their children, and these companies employ more than 10 million people worldwide. Additionally, the net fiscal impact of immigration is positive over the long run. For example, from 2011 to 2013, children of immigrants added $1,700 per person to local and state budgets, and immigrants’ grandchildren added another $1,300. The immigrants’ net contribution across three generations was $900 per person (CAP Immigration Team and
Nicholson). Immigrants will also play a crucial role in the future of the Unites States. It’s expected that 7 million U.S.-born individuals will leave the labor force from 2020 to 2030 (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). During the same period, 2 million immigrants and 6.9 million children of immigrants are expected to join the labor force. From 2015 to 2065, it's predicted that immigrants and their descendants will account for 88 percent of the U.S. population growth. Immigrants and their children will be crucial in replacing retiring workers - while preventing labor contraction - and in meeting the demands of the future economy (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). Looking from a different perspective, the deportation of undocumented immigrants would have a negative impact on the U.S.
economy (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). It's estimated that their mass deportation could result in a 2.6 percent decline in GDP (an average annual loss of $434 billion). It could additionally cost the federal government approximately $900 billion in lost revenue over 10 years. It would also create income losses for large and important industries including financial activities, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade. The annual long-run GDP losses in such industries would probably reach $54.3 billion, $73.8 billion, and $64.9 billion, respectively. States with the most undocumented workers such as California (loss of $103 billion), Texas (loss of $60 billion), New York (loss of $40 billion), and New Jersey (loss of $26 billion) would experience the largest declines in GDP. In addition, deporting the whole undocumented population would cost the federal government approximately $114 billion over 20 years (an average of $10,070 per person), which includes detaining them while they wait for the process, processing them through the immigration courts, and transporting them abroad (CAP Immigration Team and
Nicholson). After a careful examination of the current data, it’s also clear that the major arguments against immigration are not accurate. Let’s discuss them individually.
• Immigrants steal jobs from the Americans – Research indicates that immigrants complement, rather than compete with U.S.-born workers (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). Immigrants and U.S.-born workers have different skills and tend to work in different jobs or industries. Thus, they complement the skills set of American workers by enhancing their productivity.
• Immigrants lower the wages - The effect of immigration on the wages of the U.S.-born individuals is small yet positive on the long run (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). Several studies conducted by economists indicate that immigration increased the average wave of U.S.-born workers by 0.4% ($3.68 per week) from 1994 to 2007. Immigrants also consume goods and services, creating jobs for Americans and other immigrants alike.
• Immigrants have a tendency to commit crimes – A study conducted by the Cato Institute found that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes relative to U.S.-born population (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). The incarceration rate for immigrants ages 18 to 54 was significantly lower than that of the U.S.-born population in 2014.
• Undocumented immigrants abuse the welfare state costing tax payers - Undocumented immigrants contribute significantly to Social Security, Medicare, and taxes (CAP Immigration Team and Nicholson). They contributed $13 billion into Social Security in 2010, and only received $1 billion in services. They also contributed $35.1 billion more into Medicare than they received from 2000 to 2011. They pay an estimated $11.7 billion a year in state and local taxes. “Immigrants hurt the U.S. economy” “Immigrants lower the wages” “Undocumented immigrants are a burden to tax payers.” These are all statements that are ingrained in the psyche of the American people and that has no base in reality. As we’ve examined, immigration has an overall positive impact on the U.S. economy. Both documented and undocumented immigrants help the U.S. economy to thrive. Thus, instead of resenting or rejecting immigration, we should embrace it. We should accept it as an essential component of our economy.